


Eighteen

by khaleesiq



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: AU, First Love, M/M, Songfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-11
Updated: 2014-11-11
Packaged: 2018-02-24 22:58:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2599634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/khaleesiq/pseuds/khaleesiq
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Right from the start Liam knew he loved Zayn. It just took him a while to realize it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Eighteen

**Author's Note:**

> I really needed a fic based on "18" by One Direction, and so here it is. I hope you enjoy!!!

_“We made a start…”_

He remembers the sand, the way the pale grains sifted through his fingers and snuck their way into all of his nooks and crannies. He remembers digging through it—for what he’s not exactly sure—until his hand hits the bottom, and then having to move to start a new hole. He remembers how it burned his skin at first, but if he ever wanted to be a firefighter, he would have to get used to hot things.

He remembers how brightly the sun was shining that day, and how blue the sky was, not a single cloud in sight. He had stolen his mother’s sunglasses on their way to the park, and she had laughed at him, remarking how stylish he was. There wasn’t any kind of breeze to help cool him down, and he remembers almost asking his mother if he could go home early. He’s glad he never did.

Because most of all, he remembers the boy sitting across from him in the sandbox, his hands full of sand just like Liam’s. His skin is tan, tanner than Liam’s, and his hair is black like the dress Liam’s mother wears on date nights. He was impossibly shy at first, doing his own thing in the sandbox, too afraid to speak to Liam. Eventually though, and Liam’s not sure how it happened, he started opening up and they began building a kingdom in their sandbox together. They created a little world all of their own before they even knew each other’s names.

Liam only learns that the boy’s name is Zayn when his mother is forcing him to leave so they can get dinner, and Zayn’s mother invites Liam to come over to play in the future. Liam agrees immediately, and Zayn smiles so wide Liam’s afraid his face might break.

Liam forces his mother to bring him back to that sandbox to play with Zayn as often as he can after that.

\--

_“Baby I don’t want to feel alone…”_

He remembers the day Zayn broke his arm while playing on the jungle gym, how hard he was crying, Liam sitting by his side while calling out for his mother. Zayn clutched onto him, begging Liam to make it stop hurting. Even when Zayn’s mother came over to them with a concerned look on her face to take care of Zayn himself, Zayn still held onto Liam. He felt responsible for Zayn’s condition and stayed right by his side as they drove Zayn to the hospital.

He remembers the days following when Zayn got his cast put on, and he had to sit in the sandbox while the other kids got to play on the playground and have fun. Every day when Liam would arrive, he would sit right down across from Zayn in the sandbox. Zayn would frown and say, “You don’t have to stay here and play with me.”

“No one is as fun as you are,” Liam would always reply, and Zayn would beam.

It would happen like that every day until Zayn got his cast taken off a month later. Even when Zayn could play with other kids, he always chose to play with Liam because, just like Liam had said about him, no one was as fun as Liam.

\--

_“These arms were made for holding you…”_

It was inevitable, the way his parents would fight almost constantly, not even being able to hold it in when Liam was there with them. It would happen during dinner, until the food was practically tasteless and he couldn’t eat without feeling like he wanted to throw up. It would happen at night as he was trying to sleep, holding a pillow tightly over his head so he wouldn’t have to hear them. It never worked.

Zayn didn’t understand what was happening. But Liam didn’t like talking to him about it much either. It was his only escape, getting to play with Zayn in the sandbox every week and creating their kingdom where everyone was happy and no one fought.

And then one day it just stopped. It wasn’t because his parents suddenly decided that they really do love each other and didn’t want to fight. And it wasn’t because they finally agreed upon a compromise or a divorce. Liam would have much rather preferred that.

One morning, Liam woke up and his mother was just…gone.

It was his father who made breakfast that morning, who drove him to school, who accompanied him to the park to play with Zayn, who tucked him that night. He asked his father where his mother was, and he told Liam a story of how she had to travel to a far off kingdom to defeat a dragon. He didn’t know when she would be back.

He remembers the looks Zayn’s mother, Tricia, would give him, as if he was some wounded creature in need of rescuing. He remembers playing at Zayn’s house one day, and when he went to get a drink of water Tricia pulled him aside and told him, “If you ever need anything, I’m here. Just because your mum is gone doesn’t mean that you’re alone.”

Liam nodded, but he didn’t understand what she meant at the time. He remembers a comment Zayn made once as they were flipping through comic books about overhearing Tricia telling Liam’s father that she would be like Liam’s mother figure from then on. Zayn thought that was cool because then it was like he and Liam were brothers.

It didn’t fully hit Liam that his mother had truly abandoned him until about three years later when he was nine, and one of his schoolmates’ parents got divorced. It hit him like a blow to the stomach, and he spent the rest of the day under his covers with Zayn right by his side, rubbing his side and assuring him that everything would be okay. She can’t leave forever.

At one point Liam had poked his head out from under the blanket and asked Zayn in a cracked voice worn out from crying, “You won’t ever leave me, will you Zayn?”

Zayn shook his head fervently. “I promise I won’t ever leave you, Liam. You’re my best mate.”

Liam smiled and hugged Zayn tightly. At least Zayn was a permanent fixture in his life, and that’s all that really mattered to him.

\--

_“Long before we both thought the same thing…”_

He remembers the day his father got remarried to this horrible woman who was everything Liam’s mother was not. She had brown hair instead of blonde, she was too tall, and she completely ignored Liam whenever she was around both him and his father. He hated her. And yet his father still married her.

“Cheer up,” Zayn said as Liam sat at the table pouting and stealing sips of champagne from his father’s glass while he danced with _Isabelle_. He was fourteen, Zayn fifteen, and Zayn was using those couple of months before Liam caught up with him to play the role of the wise elder. “Your dad loves her, so shouldn’t that be enough. If he’s happy then you should be happy too.”

Liam glared at him. “Not if she’s literally the devil incarnated.”

Zayn threw his head back and laughed. Liam has always loved his laugh, and the fact that he was able to make him laugh that hard made his chest tighten for some weird reason. “She’s not that bad, Li.” He leaned in and whispered, “Is it because you feel like she’s replacing your mum?”

Liam didn’t want to admit, but he could never lie to Zayn. He nodded, not looking up at Zayn because he felt petty and childish for feeling that way. But Zayn would never let him feel stupid, and he pulled Liam in close, kissing the top of Liam’s head.

“There’s nothing to feel ashamed of, Li,” Zayn assured him. “She left when you were six. Of course you don’t want a new mum. You barely got any time with your own.”

Liam nodded, snuggling closer into Zayn’s chest, clutching him tightly and trying not to let the tears spill.

“And you know that if she ever really is that horrible,” Zayn continued, “you can come to me and I’ll give her a piece of my mind.”

Liam laughed and sat up, wiping away some stray tears that he was unable to keep in. “You couldn’t be mean to a fly, Zee.”

“If it was mean to you then I could,” Zayn countered, making Liam laugh even more. He reached over and rubbed his thumb over Liam’s cheeks, drying them. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Liam said, looking back over at the dance floor. “He really is happy, isn’t he?”

Zayn gave him a strange look before holding out his hand and saying, “Come dance with me, Li.”

Liam laughed incredulously. “You hate dancing!”

Zayn shrugged and stood up, grabbing Liam’s hand and pulling him onto the dance floor despite his lack of agreement. He made sure to stand as far away from Liam’s dad and Isabelle before pulling Liam in close by the waist. Liam flushed and wrapped his arms around Zayn’s neck. He rested his head on Zayn’s shoulder as Zayn swayed them back and forth across the dance floor.

He felt Zayn’s lips on his cheek, and he smiled into the fabric of Zayn’s suit jacket. He was fourteen and had no idea what love was but this sure felt a lot like it.

\--

_“We took a chance…”_

He remembers how much he hated Isabelle. Well and truly _loathed_ that woman.

He tried to like her, for his father’s sake, but it was impossible. She was always forcing Liam to do all the housework while she went out on dates with his father. She wouldn’t let Liam go out past nine o’clock (even on weekends) despite being fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, fucking eighteen. She acted like she was Liam’s keeper even though she was far from it.

It wouldn’t have been so bad if she actually liked Liam. But just as obvious as it was that Liam hated her (to everyone but his father) it was just as obvious that she disliked him as well. Anytime Liam was around her and his father she would give him a glare until he left for his own room or Zayn’s.

During his late teen years he started spending more and more time at Zayn’s house. At this point he practically lived there. Not that Zayn (or Zayn’s family) minded that much. They loved having Liam around, said he made Zayn less boring.

Most of the time though, Liam would spend his time up in Zayn’s room as opposed to hanging out with Zayn’s family. He liked the comfortable quiet they had between them, or the way they could go on forever and ever about a single subject. More often than not, Liam and Zayn would end up falling asleep side by side on Zayn’s double bed.

There was one day, though, that ended up being worse than it had ever been before. Isabelle was pissed off at Liam because he forgot to do the dishes and now she can’t cook dinner for her and Liam’s dad’s anniversary.

“I’m not your fucking Cinderella!” Liam spat at her. “I’m not going to do all your fucking chores for you just because you’re too lazy to do it all yourself!”

“You are so ungrateful,” Isabelle sighed as if she was already over this conversation. “I’m trying to teach you important and necessary skills that you’ll need when you’re older, dear.”

Liam clenched his jaw, and forced himself to be calm. Well, calmer than he wanted to be since he was already pretty fucking furious. “If they’re so _important and necessary_ how come you don’t know how to do them all yourself?”

Isabelle stood up straighter and pointed a finger in his face. Liam flinched, but only a little so she wouldn’t think that he was _scared_ of her. “You little brat. You’re ungrateful, and rude. I can see why your mother wanted to leave you.”

Liam took a step back, eyes going wide at her words. She didn’t even look ashamed of her comment, instead she looked almost _proud_ of her insult. Before Liam could even think about what he was doing, he grabbed one of the dirty dishes and threw it at her head. Unfortunately she ducked just in time and it ended up hitting the wall and shattering.

Isabelle stared at the mess in shock. “Clean that up!”

But Liam was already out the door and running to Zayn’s house. He wiped his nose on his sleeve every so often, trying to keep the inevitable tears at bay until he was at least wrapped in Zayn’s warm blankets with Zayn’s comforting arms holding him together.

He didn’t even stop to greet Tricia at the door, instead heading straight upstairs and collapsing on Zayn’s floor as soon as he closed the door behind him. He didn’t get a chance to see if Zayn was even in his room before leaning back against the door, pulling his knees into his chest, tucking his face into his knees, and just letting it all out.

He barely registered the hand rubbing circles on his back until he heard a soft voice whisper, “Look at me, Liam.”

Liam shook his head against his knees. He’d let Zayn see a lot of things, but this wasn’t one of them.

He heard Zayn sigh. “C’mon babe. Please.” When Liam still refused Zayn said, “At least get on the bed?”

Liam hesitated just a moment before relenting and letting Zayn guide him to the bed. He still hid his face from Zayn, burying himself in Zayn’s comforter. He felt Zayn tuck him in, pulling other blankets up over him. Liam cried, not even caring how embarrassing he sounded, or how wet he was making Zayn’s sheets.

He felt Zayn slip under the blankets at one point and wrap his arms around Liam’s stomach from behind and pull him close. “It’s okay, Li,” Zayn whispered into his neck, running his hands over his stomach. Liam cried harder. “It’s going to be okay.”

Liam sobbed until he felt like there was nothing left in his body. He finally turned over after drying his face with the sleeve of his shirt and cuddled into Zayn’s chest. Zayn tilted Liam’s chin up with a finger, running his thumb over his cheek idly. “Mind telling me what’s up now?”

Liam shook his head and hid his face in Zayn’s chest. Zayn ran his hands through Liam’s hair, fingers getting caught in tangles of curls. “You gotta tell me some time, babe.”

Liam spoke into Zayn’s shirt, his voice muffled. Zayn gently cupped Liam’s cheeks and lifted his face to look up at Zayn. Zayn stared at him until Liam finally repeated himself.

“Isabelle and I got into a fight,” Liam said, taking a shuddering breath. “And she called me an ungrateful brat and then…and then she said that she could—she could see why my mum l-left me.”

Liam bit his bottom lip to keep from crying again, but when Zayn said, “Oh Li,” he couldn’t help it. He burst into tears again and clutched at Zayn, remembering that time when Zayn broke his arm and Zayn had done the same to him.

Zayn let him take his time getting it all out. Liam wasn’t quite sure how he still had that much still left in him after before, yet here he is.

Even after Liam had finished crying, they remained silent, Zayn holding him and rubbing his back soothingly. Finally, Zayn spoke. “Let’s run away.”

Liam looked up at him in shock. “Wha- _what_?”

Zayn smiled. “I don’t mean forever. Just for the day. We can get away, forget everything. Just me and you, yeah?”

Liam grinned. “Yeah.”

“First thing tomorrow,” Zayn stated. “We’ll get a train ticket, go anywhere you want, do anything you want. No one can stop us.”

“Yeah,” Liam said again, because he could not believe how unbelievably happy he was that he had such an amazing best mate as Zayn.

“You can sleep here tonight,” Zayn told him. “And then we’ll leave tomorrow as soon as we wake up. I can even ask my mum to make us a lunch to take with us.”

Liam giggled. “I thought we were supposed to be independent adults?”

Zayn shrugged. “We can be independent and still have lunch made by my mum. What’s so wrong with that?”

Liam smiled, hugging Zayn tighter. “Thank you. I—I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

Zayn pressed a kiss to the top of Liam’s head. “I don’t know what I’d do without you either, Li.”

They were eighteen, too young to fall in love, but found themselves falling head first into it anyway.

\--

_“Let’s split the night wide open, and we’ll see everything…”_

He remembers that day when he and Zayn ran away and he couldn’t have been happier in his entire life. They had left early in the morning (or, as early as Zayn was willing to get up) and bought two tickets for the very next train. They had no idea where exactly it was they were going and they couldn’t care less.

He remembers the glares they got from the people sitting near them whenever they would laugh too hard at something the other would say, or say something too inappropriate. With Zayn’s arm around his shoulder as they both peered out the window at the passing countryside.

As they watched the view outside, Liam’s attention was suddenly drawn to just how close Zayn actually was to him. Yes, Zayn and Liam did not have any perception of personal space when it came to the two of them, but this felt…different.

Suddenly Liam was all too aware of the way Zayn’s side pressed against Liam’s body, and the way he smelled like lavender and smoke. Or the light stubble smeared across his jaw that Liam never noticed, or how dark and red his lips were, and how shiny they looked whenever he licked them—

“Liam!” Zayn exclaimed, drawing Liam’s attention away from Zayn with a blush. “Are you seeing this?”

Liam looked back out the window, where the trees were painted in shades of red, brown, and gold. It was like a sea of color and Zayn was totally in awe. That was something else Liam had never noticed, how beautiful Zayn looked when he was fascinated.

“It’s beautiful,” Liam agreed. _But not as beautiful as you_ , he added silently to himself.

Zayn sighed contentedly, and Liam smiled at him. They stared at each other for a moment, Zayn’s eyes darting at Liam’s lips, and then back up at his eyes. Liam swore they were slowly moving closer when the conductor yelled out that they had reached their destination.

Zayn pulled away quickly, grabbing his backpack and hoisting Liam up. They ran off the train, any awkwardness they were feeling from that moment gone. Liam laughed as he ran after Zayn (who was usually the one trying to keep up). He had no idea where Zayn was going, and he was pretty sure that Zayn didn’t know where he was heading either, but it didn’t matter. None of it mattered as long as he had Zayn by his side.

They traveled through the downtown area, popping in and out of shops, not buying anything just looking. At one point Liam lost Zayn in one of the shops, and found him again near the register, putting something in the pocket of his coat. Liam gave him a curious look but Zayn just smiled him before thanking the cashier and escorting Liam out of the shop.

After walking through downtown and having lunch down at the park they walked through the residential areas. They came upon an open house and Zayn tugged Liam inside.

“We’re a young couple fresh out of uni who have been together since secondary school looking for a place to settle down,” Zayn explained to the realtor when asked why they were looking at the house. Liam blushed, but tightened his hold on Zayn’s hand.

The realtor smiled and congratulated them as she showed them around the house. Every so often Zayn would whisper something like, “Can you imagine cooking dinner together in that kitchen,” or “Imagine family nights watching Marvel movies or playing board games with the family in this living room.” Liam had no idea why he was saying those things and what he was getting at, but at the same time he really _really_ didn’t want Zayn to stop.

The realtor had to excuse herself to speak with a client on the phone while they were in the upstairs master bedroom. Liam stood at the window and looked down at the backyard. It really was a nice house, and along with all of Zayn’s little comments he couldn’t help but imagine a life spent with Zayn living here.

As soon as Liam thought that Zayn came up behind him and wrapped his arms around Liam’s stomach, resting his chin on Liam’s shoulder.

“What are you thinking about?” Liam asked quietly.

He felt Zayn shrug against his back. “I don’t know. What would you say if I said I want to live here?”

Liam smiled, turning his head slightly to look at Zayn properly. “I wouldn’t be surprised by the way you’ve been talking about it throughout our tour.”

Zayn hummed before adding, softer and more unsure than before, “And what would you say if I said I want to live here with you?”

Liam stayed quiet, not knowing what to say to that. He wanted to as well, that he knew for sure, but they were only eighteen. They still had so much to think about before they thought about _living_ together. And what did Zayn mean by that? Did he want to live there together as best mates who became house mates, or as…something more? His comments implied the latter, but he still couldn’t be sure.

“I—I don’t know,” Liam said.

Zayn pulled away from him and Liam instantly regretted his answer. He turned around expecting Zayn to be frowning at him, but instead he was just staring down at the ground, his bottom lip caught between his teeth.

“Zayn?” Liam said, concerned. “Are you—”

“Sorry about that,” the realtor said breathlessly as she came rushing back into the room. “Anyway, what are you two thinking?”

Liam looked at Zayn since it was his idea to go in there originally. Zayn looked up at the realtor and told her, “We’ll think about it. It’s a very nice house.”

The realtor nodded. “Yes, it is. I do hope you consider it. I think this house would be perfect for the two of you.”

Liam knew that that was the kind of thing that realtors said to make their sales more secure, but for some reason it seemed pretty sincere coming from her mouth.

They thanked her for the tour and her time, and Zayn led Liam back outside, but this time the awkwardness was still there. Zayn kept his hands in his pockets, glancing at Liam from time to time before looking back down at the ground. Liam would give anything to know what he was thinking at that moment.

They had dinner at this little local Italian restaurant that they had seen earlier downtown. The second they sat down they went right into easy conversation, but the moment from the house was still hanging over their heads. Soon, the moment from the train was also creeping into their minds as well.

Liam wondered what it all meant. If it was just a fleeting thing, his feelings for Zayn, or something that he would hang on to forever.

\--

_“So kiss me where I lay down, my hands pressed to your cheeks…”_

He remembers how tired he was when they got back on the train later that night, and falling asleep on Zayn’s shoulder on the way back home. He remembers barely registering Zayn’s arm slipping his arm around Liam’s waist and pulling him in close as he fell asleep.

He remembers Zayn gently nudging him awake when they finally arrived back home. Liam smiled, leaning on Zayn as they got off the train.

Liam was so tired that he didn’t even realize that they weren’t stopped in front of his or Zayn’s house when Zayn parked his mother’s car. Liam stared out at the park where he and Zayn had met all those years ago with confusion.

Zayn opened the door for him and pulled him out excitedly, tugging on Liam’s hand and practically running into the park.

“What are we doing here?” Liam asked with a yawn, trying to keep up with Zayn so that he wouldn’t have to let go of his hand.

Zayn just hummed in reply and kept pulling Liam along until they reached the sandbox. When they did Zayn plopped down in the sand, yanking on Liam’s hand to pull him down onto the sand as well. Liam laughed but when Zayn laid down he did the same.

“You still haven’t told me what we’re doing here,” Liam said as he readjusted slightly so that their sides were pressed against each other.

“This is where we first met,” Zayn said simply. “I just thought that it would be like the perfect end for a perfect day.”

Liam smiled, turning his head to look at Zayn. Zayn didn’t seem to notice because he continued to stare up at the stars. “Thank you,” Liam said softly. “Not just for today, for just…always being there.”

Zayn twisted his head and grinned at Liam, squeezing his hand. “Of course. You’re my best mate.”

Liam frowned and went to looking back up at the stars, hoping Zayn didn’t notice his sudden change in expression. “Right,” Liam said, his throat feeling dry.

Zayn placed a hand on Liam’s cheek, turning his head so that Liam would look at him again. “What’s wrong?” Zayn asked, clearly concerned.

Liam wrapped his hand around Zayn’s wrist to take Zayn’s hand away from his cheek because it felt like it was burning a hole into Liam’s skin, but found himself just resting it there because he liked the way Zayn’s skin felt underneath his own.

“Nothing’s wrong,” Liam said, but he could tell that Zayn wasn’t buying it. He sighed and blurted before he could think twice about it, “Do you ever wonder what it would be like if we weren’t just best mates?”

Zayn opened his mouth to say something, but then must have decided against it because he closed it almost immediately. A few moments of silence passed between them, Liam removing his hand from Zayn’s wrist because he felt ridiculous just keeping it there, but was happy that Zayn kept his hand pressed to Liam’s cheek.

Finally Zayn said, “What do you mean?”

Liam groaned, because it was hard enough to ask that, but now Zayn wanted him to try and explain his feelings? He tried to anyway. “Like, you know when we were looking at that house and you kept talking about what it would be like if we lived there together. And, like, I was thinking about what if we didn’t live there as just mates? What if we…” He didn’t finish because he wasn’t sure if he could with Zayn staring at him with such an intrigued look on his stupidly beautiful face.

Luckily Zayn understood what he meant just fine because he replied, “If we were like…together, or something?”

Liam blushed furiously and nodded, trying to look away, but Zayn’s hand on his cheek kept his head in place. So he simply averted his eyes.

“Liam,” Zayn sighed, and Liam looked up to see him smiling, his eyes shining in the darkness. “You’re so daft.”

“Wha—” Liam started to say until he was interrupted by Zayn’s lips pressing against his. Liam’s eyes were wide until he registered what was happening, and then they went even wider. After a few seconds of Zayn kissing him and Liam failing to respond Zayn pulled away with a frown.

“I’m sorry,” Zayn said. “I thought that was what you wanted. I guess I misread or some—”

This time it was Liam who cut Zayn off with a kiss. Unlike Liam, Zayn responded immediately, kissing Liam back with fervor as if he was trying to imprint his lips onto Liam’s. Liam wouldn’t mind.

“Don’t ever be sorry,” Liam mumbled against Zayn’s lips, not wanting to pull away from him. “You’re perfect.”

He felt Zayn smile against his lips before he went back to fully kissing Liam, his hand sliding from Liam’s cheek to the back of his neck to try and tug Liam impossibly closer to him. Zayn licked across Liam’s bottom lip before slipping his tongue inside of Liam’s mouth, sliding it gently against Liam’s.

Liam threw a leg over Zayn’s legs trying to pull him closer as Liam kissed him more desperately and hungrily. He wrapped his arms around Zayn’s waist, squeezing him tightly as if this was the last time he would ever get to be with him like this. Zayn must have sensed Liam’s desperation because he muttered, “Not too fast, there will be other nights, babe,” to quell Liam’s fears.

Liam nodded, tilting his head back when Zayn moved his lips from Liam’s mouth to his jaw and down his neck. Liam gripped Zayn’s hips tighter and bit his bottom lip to contain a moan when Zayn bit his neck, licking over it slowly, making Liam squirm in his hold.

“Kiss me again,” Liam gasped because at this was going at a rate that was much too fast for Liam’s liking. “Just—kiss me. Please.”

Zayn was all too happy to oblige and he moved his lips back up to Liam’s, skimming them over Liam’s neck and jaw on the way. This time was slower, lazier, as if time had stopped and they were in no rush to start or finish anything. Liam slid his hand up under Zayn’s shirt, gliding it along Zayn’s side, which was much warmer than he anticipated.

Zayn pulled away briefly and grinned, leaning his forehead against Liam. After all that had just happened they were both content enough to just breathe and relish in the others’ presence.

Zayn moved his hand back to Liam’s cheek and said, “I should probably get you back home now.”

Liam nodded, but refused to move away from this position. “I never told my dad and Isabelle that I was leaving today. They’re probably pissed.”

Zayn laughed and kissed him quickly on the mouth before moving away and standing up. Liam pouted, but Zayn just rolled his eyes before hoisting him up off the ground.

“I don’t want you to get into too much trouble,” Zayn said as he grabbed Liam’s hips and pulled Liam into him. “Then I wouldn’t be able to do this with you as often.”

Liam blushed and hid his face as Zayn leaned in for a kiss on his cheek. He led Liam back to the car and drove him home. They exchanged one last kiss (okay, it was more of a quick make out session) before Liam got out of the car and ran up to his house.

Fortunately his father and Isabelle were both fast asleep when he snuck in, and he managed to be quiet enough to not wake them as he tiptoed up to his room.

He buried himself up in his blankets, falling asleep with a smile on his face and the thought of Zayn taking over his mind.

\--

_“God knows we tried…”_

He remembers the aftermath of that day, how upset his father was that he had left without telling them where he was going. He had been worried sick until he called Tricia and she had explained what he and Zayn were doing.

Isabelle on the other hand was more upset that Liam’s father was so upset about Liam. She once again complained about how irresponsible Liam was and how he should have known better than to worry his father like that.

“It’s that boy you’re always hanging around with,” Isabelle spat. “ _Zayn_. He’s a terrible influence, Liam, and you should not be associating yourself with people like him.”

Liam finally looked up at that, an incredulous look on his face. He didn’t know what Isabelle really meant with her words, but he didn’t like what she was insinuating. “ _Excuse me_?”

“Isabelle,” his father warned, his eyes darting between Liam and Isabelle.

“I don’t think you should continue being friends with him,” Isabelle barreled on, as if no one had spoken. “You’re much better than that.”

Liam’s jaw dropped. “That’s my best mate you’re talking about. I’m not going to stop being his friend just because some bitch told me not to.”

“ _Liam_ ,” his father scolded.

“No,” Liam said to his father. “I’m done with this. Go ahead and love her, I don’t care. But I can’t continue to be fine with her presence while she insults me and my best mate. I deserve more than this. I’m sorry, Dad, I tried to like her, I really did, but I just—can’t.”

Liam’s father didn’t say anything as Liam stomped past him, grabbing his coat and opening the front door.

“And just _where_ do you think you’re going?” Isabelle yelled after him as if she still had power over him.

“I’m going to Zayn’s,” Liam said back. “Because he is what I deserve.”

As Liam slammed the door shut behind him he didn’t realize that he was leaving behind a part of his life that he would never return to.

\--

_“A long way from the playground…”_

He remembers all of this as he sits in Zayn’s car, a blindfold over his eyes. Every time he asks Zayn where the hell they’re going, Zayn refuses to tell him. So he thinks back on all the little moments in his life that led up to this one big moment.

He had been hesitant in inviting his father, since he hadn’t exactly spoken with him after that day he stormed out of his house. He was a legal adult, and Tricia let him live with them during those few months leading up to uni.

The one time he did have any kind of communication with his father was when he received a check every year a month before his next year of uni started from his father as an apology for not being as loving a father as he could have been. Liam would send a thank you letter back, but that was it.

Zayn was the one who had suggested inviting his father since he would want to be there for Liam’s big day, even if Liam didn’t want him there. Liam finally agreed when Zayn promised to request that Isabelle not come.

Liam is truly blessed to have Zayn in his life, he realizes. He’s stayed with Liam, just like he promised all those years ago, through all of his ups and downs, his degree changes, and his short temper. He can’t believe that Zayn would want to spend his life with a train wreck like Liam.

“We’re here!” Zayn finally announces excitedly.

Liam jerks forward as the car lurches to a stop. He sighs in relief, and reaches backwards to untie his blindfold. “Thank god. Can I take this stupid thing off now?”

He hears Zayn gasp in fright and he wraps a hand around Liam’s wrist. “No! You can’t take it off yet! Just—wait here and I’ll help you out of the car.”

Liam slumps back in his seat, hands dropping back down to his sides. “You’re so ridiculous.”

He can practically hear the shit-eating grin in Zayn’s voice when he replies, “That’s why you’re marrying me later today, right?”

Liam rolls his eyes even though Zayn can’t see it. He knows Zayn can sense it though, just like how Liam senses the middle finger Zayn gives him.

Zayn wraps an arm around Liam’s waist and guides him out of the car and up onto the sidewalk. Soon, Liam feels the ground become softer, and figures he’s walking on grass. Suddenly his feet run into something hard, and he stumbles.

“Take a big step, babe,” Zayn says, holding onto Liam tighter to make sure he doesn’t fall. Liam lifts both of his feet up as high as they can go before they land on something else soft, but feels different under his feet than the grass.

Zayn lets go of his waist and moves behind him to untie the blindfold. Zayn kisses the back of Liam’s neck as he lets the fabric fall, murmuring against the skin, “You can look now.”

The first thing Liam notices is the sand. He laughs, growing more delighted at the sight of all the familiar play equipment that he and Zayn had played on so many times when they were younger. He whirls around, pulling Zayn into a kiss before leaning his forehead against Zayn’s.

“Do you like it?” Zayn asks with slight hesitancy.

Liam wraps his arms around Zayn’s neck. “I love it. I love _you_.” He pauses before asking, “Are you ready to see your present?”

Zayn jumps up giddily. “Yes!”

Liam rolls his eyes. He’s pretty sure Zayn’s maturity has only decreased since he was a kid. Liam reaches into his pocket, where he had stuffed the piece of paper so he could give it to Zayn as close to the wedding as possible. He hands it to Zayn, biting his lip as he watches Zayn’s features go from confusion to surprise to impossibly happy.

He throws his arms around Liam, who lifts him up and spins him around, laughing. Zayn presses kiss after kiss onto Liam’s cheek, neck, jaw, wherever he can reach.

“You bought it!” Zayn cries after Liam’s put him down. “You bought the house we looked at that day!” He looks down at the deed and then back up at Liam. “I can’t believe you _remembered_. And how was it still on the market after all these years?”

Liam winds his arms around Zayn’s waist. “It wasn’t. Someone bought it a month after we looked at it. Earlier this year it went back up on the market and I just happened to be looking at houses one day and it came up.”

Zayn kisses him passionately, and it feels like their very first time all over again. “I love you. Have forever. Since we were eighteen.”

_“I have loved you since we were eighteen.”_

 


End file.
